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Gordon Brown today appealed to the two watchdogs investigating MPs' expenses to spare the axe or risk driving people out of politics.
He warned that drastic reforms would be “a big blow” to women and people on low incomes thinking of a career in politics. Furious Labour MPs feel he should be making the case for keeping more of their expenses.
No 10 sources confirmed his words were aimed at Sir Thomas Legg, who is auditing MPs' recent expense claims, and Sir Christopher Kelly, who chairs the committee reviewing how tighter rules should operate in future.
“If the final conclusion of all the various reviews ... were to give the impression that the only people who could afford to become Members of Parliament were people who had very substantial incomes... then that would be a very big blow to the opportunities and possibilities of those from poorer backgrounds,” he said.
Labour and Tory MPs are joining forces to undermine Sir Thomas by raising parliamentary questions about his own expenses and running costs. Some backbenchers are keen to know how much he is paid and are considering exposing other details of his inquiry.
Reader views (10)
it is not legg that puts people off politics its the sleeze balls in parliment who do that
- Anon, leicestershire, 20/10/2009 17:31
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Theres nothing at all, to stop any constituent voter from getting free Legal Aid and Suing any MP under the 2006 Fraud Act, in order to recover Public Finds that they have swindled and diverted into their own bank accounts.If the Police won't prosecute, then the Public WILL.
- Frank, Bristol UK, 20/10/2009 17:23
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gordon Brown misses the point - yet again!!! It's not Legg whose putting people off politics gordon, it's YOU and the rest of your incompetent government. Your total failure to 'listen' to the electorate, or to 'engage' with the electorate (eg the referendum on the EU constitution you & Blair promised in your manifesto), is what puts people off. Wake up man!!
- Malcolm, London, 20/10/2009 17:03
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“If the final conclusion of all the various reviews ... were to give the impression that the only people who could afford to become Members of Parliament were people who had very substantial incomes... then that would be a very big blow to the opportunities and possibilities of those from poorer backgrounds,”
...a bit of a backward argument, don't you think? It's as though he's suggesting people come into the political game expecting to be able to milk the system when they are poorer than others.
Heads up. In the real world one of the things you do when taking a job is check out the pay. If it's compatible with your needs (or if you're desperate enough for employment of any kind regardless) then you take the job as offerred. You don't go in and then squeeze it for everything you can get out of it. Not, that is, if you are at all honest - both in your dealings with others and even more so, with yourself.
It's that integrity thing.
- Rogan, Irving, 20/10/2009 15:51
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Brown feels threatened because "driving people out of politics" is his job.
- Bloke, Lambeth, 20/10/2009 15:46
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Never have I felt such hatred towards a section of society. How can we trust the decisions made on our behalf when they behave in such a deviant manner. They take our military personnel into wars to die for what is probably a points scoring exercise for them.
Do they have no shame. It's not even a minority, they are ALL guilty of misuse, or knowing that misuse, of public funds was being undertaken day in day out.
They should be held accountable by the law of the land and not hide behind the well oiled response of 'within the rules'. If you prosecute benefit fraudsters then you should also prosecute MPs.
- W. Mac, glasgow, scotland, 20/10/2009 15:18
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Looks like these corrupt MPs are now chucking their toys out of their prams.
Watch out for thos spat dummies.
- Brian, London, 20/10/2009 14:44
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These MPs do no favours to the many honest MPs that work on our behalf.
Yes I know I live in Spain but am taxed in the UK.
- Aylyn, 03189 Orihuela Costa, 20/10/2009 12:00
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Those who try to smear Sir Thomas Legg's reputation do themselves no favours. They merely show themselves up for what they are - the scum of the earth. The fact they have been proven to have misappropriated tax payers' money merely proves that they are the most corrupt MPs in living memory. This current government will be remembered as the one whose members sank to an all time low level of depravity. They are despised throughout the country and reviled throughout the world.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK, 20/10/2009 11:26
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What else would Joe Public expect from the Wombles of Westminster - those conniving, two-faced, despicable pigs who were caught knee deep in the trough of taxpayers' cash?
Now is the time to get rid of ALL 645 MP's and start again with suitable candidates for the job.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 20/10/2009 10:50
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